Rates vary based on the type of accommodations offered – the site features everything from full apartments to air mattresses for rent. Unvarnished guest reviews dispel some security concerns, as does the ability to book rooms noted on AirBnb’s Top 40 list. AirBnb also makes it easy to find hosts with whom you share a common bond – a University alumni connection, for instance, or a penchant for hiking, skiing, sailing, or wine tasting, to name just a few – reducing the risk of spending your vacation with bizarre strangers.

AirBnb processes payments, taking a 6% cut for their work – a fee well worth the security it offers. The site has received positive reviews from The New York Times, Time, The Washington Post and others.

Rock House

One of the oldest settlements in The Bahamas, Harbour Island features one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. Although it’s becoming more well-known in celeb circles, it’s still a relatively quiet destination.

Located about 200 miles from Miami, Harbour Island has been compared to St. Barths for its upscale villas, pink sand, fantastic food and great diving. Only three miles long and 2/3 mile wide, the primary modes of transportation are golf carts and bicycles, but most people walk wherever they go.

In the mornings you’ll want to head to Pink Sands Beach that runs the length of the island. Since it’s protected from the waves by a coral reef, it is ideal for swimming and snorkeling. If you like your water a little deeper, Current Cut Dive is an impressive site, ranked among the top 10 dive spots in the world. Walk around Dunmore Town, on the island’s harbor side, and take in the sights of the old pastel-painted cottages with white picket fences and coconut palms.

Stay: Rock House is the quintessential tropical boutique hotel that will take your island experience to the next level. With only nine rooms, your hosts will attend to every need and make sure your getaway is fulfilled with style.

Eat: The food at Rock House is so incredible you may be tempted to eat every meal there. If you do venture out try Arthur’s Bakery, Coral Sands Restaurant, Runaway Hill Inn Restaurant or join the locals at Avery’s.

Get There: Fly into Miami or Ft. Lauderdale then catch a 1 hour flight to Eleuthera Bahamas North (ELH). When you land, take a 10 minute cab ride to the boat dock and then a 10 minute water taxi ride over to Harbour Island.

While this may bring dollar signs to mind for some, the reality is quite the opposite. Not only can villas be affordable, but they’re available in most parts of the world and allow you to maximize your trip experience.

A villa vacation is one not bound by the walls of a resort. Typically set in an area with lots to experience (sites, towns, restaurants, beaches, jungles, etc.), the ideal trip offers a blend of relaxing in private, ample space, and the ease of exploring your surroundings when the desire for adventure strikes. Here are five advantages to consider:

Space
Villas give you the space of an entire house including a functioning kitchen, often a private pool and patio/deck area, and sometimes additional services like a car, chef, housekeeper or security. Larger – and more luxurious – villas can be rented for bigger parties, and once split between the guests, the price can be quite reasonable.

Price
In the Caribbean’s off season (April-November), comfortable houses with pools and stunning views can be had for $300-$450 a night vs. $500+ for a single “garden” room at a nice resort. Additionally, larger villas can often be rented as one-bedrooms with corresponding costs, so don’t just search for bungalows.

Food
Villas allow you the freedom to dine according to your tastes and budget. Even cooking your own gourmet meal can save you cash when compared to paying inflated prices for hotel food and drinks. The communal aspect of cooking together is often one of the highlights of our trips.

Privacy
Whether they’re in the room above you or next to you at the pool, why share your well-earned vacation with noisy tourists? Privacy is worth its weight in gold when you’re trying to relax.

Adventure
Renting a villa is more than just a decision on accommodations; it’s a mindset for travel. It’s about getting out on your own and engaging your surroundings, the local people and the offerings of the region. When renting a villa, we recommend you secure a car for the course of your stay. This gives you the mobility to find those hidden gems and memorable experiences.

For those looking for an entry-point into this method of vacationing, here are a few well-known villa rental agencies. While they add a small service charge, agencies ensure a certain standard of home and experience, and prove extremely helpful should something go wrong. CaribbeanWay, Catered To, Wimco.

While most film cameras have virtually disappeared from the amateur photography market, the Diana camera, a cult favorite from the 60s and 70s, has, to the delight of photographers, returned. The original made a splash almost by accident: the camera’s cheap construction – the plastic lens allowed light to leak in the camera body that created odd color palettes, slightly blurred photos, and low contrast and resolution – lent themselves to more artistic photographs. This allowed users to play with formats, pinhole shots and angles before Photoshop existed. Discontinued in the late 70s, the Diana gradually became a mantle-piece rather than a functional device.

Now, however, Lomography has reconstructed the Diana camera, bringing back the cheap plastic lens and its singular artistic abilities with a reconstruction that borders on obsessive. All the light-weight camera’s (perfect) imperfections remain intact on the new model, which offers variable shutter speeds, a removable lens for super-wide angle pinhole shots, 12-shot, 16-shot and several panoramic formats (creating both square and rectangular prints), and a commitment to photos with a color-drenched, dream-like quality. The 2010 Diana comes backed with a 2-year international warranty and retails for $60.

The open road is one of the best ways to experience new territory here or abroad, and since 1992, Eagle Rider has been making travel all the more exciting by offering an unusual service: top-of-the-line motorcycles for rent. Pick up one of the company’s Hogs in Atlanta for a self-guided tour of the Southeast, or splurge on Eagle Rider’s guided trips country-wide, where a greater selection of bikes, including BMWs and Hondas, are available for rent. If an international destination is in your future, you may want to check out Eagle Rider’s overseas offerings; it has portals everywhere from Australia to Turkey. And, for the truly adventurous, the company rents dirt bikes and ATVs for off-road tourism in some locations.

Reservations can be made on the company’s website, where straight-forward answers on what to wear and how much experience you need to drive their bikes can be found in the FAQs. Pick up and drop off locations need not be the same.